Tummy Tuck: Prices, Photos, Reviews, Info, Q&A

Navel healing

The incision itself appears inflamed, and the navel skin itself is hard to see in the photos, but appears rather grey and dusky.

I think your surgeon needs to see this and give advice and instructions based on an in person exam. All the best. (Jourdan Gottlieb, MD, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)

You need to let your plastic surgeon see this and let him / her help you get this better.

Tummy Tuck : Is belly Button Healing?

Unfortunately, it’s not healing completely normally, but this doesn’t mean it won’t look good after it’s done.I recommend topical and oral antibiotics.

Picture healing of belly button after tummy tuck abdominoplasty

Topical antibiotics include Neosporin and Bacitracin. Oral antibiotics and cultures should be done. This is because of the odor and drainage. The antibiotics will treat any possible infection. Keep regular visits with your doctor.

Most of the time the belly button will slowly heal, in these cases, and usually look fine. It can take a month or two so be patient. Sometimes surgery is necessary to fix the scars, if this doesn’t heal well.This is relatively easy but way too early to say. (Christopher Saunders, MD, Wilmington Plastic Surgeon)

Belly Button Healing

Healing of belly button after tummy tuck

It’s hard to tell with this digital photography because the reds are unreliable. I’m not certain exactly what is happening there, but in general these things heal very nicely. As a matter of fact, when I was in training one of my professors used to say that a little trouble with the belly button makes them look more natural later.

His point was that the belly button is really just a scar, so a little more scarring INSIDE the belly button won’t hurt. For now, I would talk to your plastic surgeon, but you are probably doing just fine. (Thomas P. Sterry, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Early Healing after Tummy Tuck

Your belly button does look irritated which can happen for a variety of reasons including tape or postoperative dressings. It is still early after your surgery and I would suggest close follow up with your plastic surgeon. I am sure with some local wound care you will go on to heal. (Steven M. Camp, MD, Fort Worth Plastic Surgeon)

The photo of healing of belly button after abdominoplasty

Is My Belly Button Healing Or Necrosing?

Belly buttons are hardy remnants of the umbilical cord. At their base, they have arteries, veins and nerves all coming from the liver. In situations like this, it’s hard to give a definitive answer, but experience tells me often they will heal and look completely normal even when it appears some portion is necrosing.

The treatment of choice in my practice is to keep the belly button clean with soap and water, apply a topical antibiotic such as Silvadine, and give your body a chance to heal itself. A word of caution. Hydrogen peroxide kills healing tissue, therefore in my practice, I would not recommend H2O2 in this situation. I would also get a culture of the foul smelling discharge from the belly button to determine whether it is or is not an infection. If in fact the culture comes back positive for bacteria, I would then prescribe my patient the appropriate antibiotic by mouth. (S. Larry Schlesinger, MD, FACS, Honolulu Plastic Surgeon)